Update: GSA Green Building Advisory Committee Votes to Recommend Strengthening Net-Zero Energy Commitments

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Green Building Advisory Committee is recommending that all federal agencies move towards net-zero energy at their facilities, including the retrofit of existing facilities and targets for new construction.  Specific recommendations were called out for GSA; its Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings has been exploring whether to make net-zero energy commitments at its facilities, as previously reported by AGC. 

As stated in the recommendation, “the overarching goal laid out by this task group is for the federal government to verify at least 50% of their building area to achieve net-zero energy (NZE) by 2030.” The Green Building Advisory Committee (GBAC) recommendations and milestones for moving federal government and GSA facilities towards net-zero energy (NZE) are summarized below.

• The GBAC approved the following recommendations for all federal agencies:

1. By 2020, the federal government should verify at least 1% of their total building area to be NZE.  All federal agencies should start planning for developing NZE retrofits in 2017.
2. By 2025, the federal government should verify at least 10% of their total building area to be NZE AND each federal agency should verify at least 1 building to be NZE. All federal agencies should continue planning additional NZE projects.
3. By 2030, the federal government should verify at least 50% of their total building area to be NZE AND each federal agency should verify at least 25% of their building area to be NZE. All federal agencies should continue planning additional NZE projects.

•  The GBAC approved the following recommendations specific to the GSA:

1. By 2020, each GSA regional operating division should verify at least 1% of their building area to be NZE (a minimum of one building).  GSA should start planning for developing NZE retrofits in 2017.
2. By 2025, each GSA regional operating division should verify at least 10% of their building area to be NZE, and should continue planning additional NZE projects.
3. By 2030, each GSA regional operating division should verify at least 50% of their building area to be NZE, and should continue planning additional NZE projects.

• The GBAC approved the following recommendations for all federal agencies (including the GSA) related to new construction:

1. By 2017, each regional operating division (e.g., GSA regions, NPS regions) shall initiate at least 20% of new construction project square footage to be NZE (a minimum of one NZE pilot project).
2. By 2020, all new construction initiated shall be designed and constructed to achieve NZE by 2030.

GSA makes available the presentations and materials presented at GBAC meetings online athttp://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/122159.  Members of the public can also review the draft background papers and draft recommendations of the task groups via that same link.  The GBAC approved the draft recommendations without amendment, so that document reflects the final decision of the GBAC.